Earing is part of survival and part of survival is knowing what to, and what not to, believe when it comes to food. Food myths have been around since the dawn of time (as long as edible ingredients have) and many of them might seem convincing but in reality, hold no factual truth to them whatsoever. Long is the list of inaccuracies when it comes to many foods and food groups, from expiration dates (if one even exists) to perceived - but not accurate - flavor profiles many have believed their whole lives.
We've examined foods that could last centuries or more and have also talked about foods that are weird - and occasionally super gross - but now, it's time to debunk some serious myths.
Honey Has An Expiration Date
Believe it or not, honey is entirely shelf-stable. It might not seem like it due to the way honey has a tendency to solidify, especially when exposed to cold temperatures, but the solution to this problem is to simply stick the jar in warm water. The trick to honey's infinite shelf life is a properly-sealed container, which basically means that there are no holes or breaks in the seal of the jar. This goes for store-bought honey as well, even those in the little bear-shaped jars. The flavor and aroma might lessen as time goes on, but honey is usually good to roll even after the expiration date has come and gone.
Fruit Loops All Taste Like Different Fruits
Surprise! It turns out that everyone's favorite childhood cereal is actually not what they think it is. Fruit loops are delicious, there's no debating that - but each uniquely-colored loop does not have a different flavor.
In fact, they're all the same 'mixed fruit' flavor, as was proven by a blind taste test done by Food Beast. That doesn't make them any less tasty, but it does dissolve the theory that fans have tasted different fruit 'flavors' for decades.
French Fries Cn Be Traced Back To France
Quite the contrary, actually. There's no definitive evidence that french fries can be traced back to anywhere in France, and their origins are sketchy at best. There is, however, some indication that the beloved fried comfort food did have roots in Belgium. In France, fries are actually called 'frites,' further implying that they did not originate in the country that shares a name with them. And despite all of that, they're still most popular in the US, leading to even more potential confusion about where they originated.
A Raw Oyster Is Dead On Arrival
It might be strange to think about but those who love raw oysters might be in for a surprise. Not only is there a very good chance that an oyster is alive when it's eaten, but these shellfish are actually kept alive until they're shucked for serving.
This is the most common practice in the US where oysters are shucked only just before eating and since oysters rarely move anyway, it can sometimes be tough to tell whether one is still alive or not. Dismantling their shell can often make them completely immobile, so it's anyone's guess.
American Cheese Is A Type Of Cheese
Gotcha again! While American cheese reserves the name of 'cheese,' in the very technical definition of cheese, that it is not. It's actually grouped into the category of a 'cheese product,' similar to Velveeta or nacho cheese. The reason that American cheese doesn't reserve the right to be a true cheese is due to the fact that it doesn't undergo the necessary process to become one.
This is done by culturing heated milk with enzymes and bacteria before separating curds and whey. American cheese is technically pre-made before being mixed with salt and preservatives, making it a product rather than an actual cheese.
Eating Too Much Turkey Will Put You To Sleep
Everyone is quick to blame the Thanksgiving turkey when bedtime comes earlier than 7 PM but in reality, the turkey is not to blame for the exhaustion most people feel. While tryptophan is found in turkey, its amount is no higher than that of chicken or any other poultry meat.
Therefore, the excuse is not only inaccurate but completely debunked. A person would be no more tired than if they ate the same amount of chicken or duck, so what is responsible for the sudden exhaustion? The answer is the sheer amount of food that's eaten on Thanksgiving combined with a person's alcohol intake, thus making them feel more tired than they usually would after a normal meal.